Process



Oct. 20, 1931. Iw. E. TRENT PROCESS OF CRACKING vCOAL AND OIL Original Filed Sept, 27, 1924 Ream.; oa. 2o, .1931

Re. 18,234 s UNITED ASTATES. PATENT OFFICE EDWIN TIB/ENT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .,LSBIGNOBTO TBENT PROCESS CORPORA- TION, 0F NEW kYORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE rnocnss or cnacxme con. AND on.

Original No. 1,l89,023, dated .Tune 15, 1 926, Serial No. 740,385, led September .27, 1924. Application reissue led November 7, 1827.

The invention relates to improvements in processes for the production of purified solid fuels in conjunction with the production of liquid motor fuels.

The purified solid fuel is made by amalgamating finely pulverized coal with an oil residuum obtained by first evaporatin the lighter boiling fractions from a cru e or fuel oil. g

The heat for eva orating these lighter fractions is generated y the compression of the evaporated vapors and then imparting this heat to the cru-de oil or other char 'ng stock through the medium of aheat exc anger.

It is'necessary to use a residuuin with a high percent-age of asphalt or carbon so that the resulting amalgam of the coal articles and. residuum.l when baked or car onized, will provide the binder for making hard, stron fuel masses.

It 1s not the intention to use a residuum that will make hard and strong fuelmasses in a green state by merely briquetting or shaping and then cooling. They are only to be so after baking and carbonizing and the residuum is to be such that from about 40 to 80% of same will vaporize under the baking or carbonizing treatment. These vaporized fractions are conducted to and mixed with the evaporated 'fractions derived from the original charging stock that enters the heat exchanger and simultaneously compressed, then cooled and liquefied by circulating through the heat exchanger in tubes surrounded by the oil to be evaporated.

The posltive displacement compression of these vapors is to develop the -combination of pressure and temperature that causes the maximum degree of cracking of the vapors into lighter boiling fractions and the heat of compression so generated is to be transferred to and cause the vaporization of the more volatile fractions of fresh portions of crude or other charging stock. The compressed vapors constitute, When cracked and condensed, a pressure distillate from which is to be extracted and refined ythe desired fractions of li uid motor fuel by any of the existing meth s, and the remaining fractions are to be added either continuously or intermitfor Serial No'. 281,758.

tently to the residuum from the heat exchanger or to the original charging stock toV undergo the treatment cycle a second time `simultaneouslywith the rest of the operation.-

The invention particularly Yrelates t'o a process broadly described in my Patents N os. 1,420,164 and 1,420,165 relating yto the purification of'coals by amalgamation with oils obtained by the distillation of the product, and aims to carry out the operation with the greatest possible heat efficiency and economy and further to produce definite quality forms of both solid and liquid fuels.

. The heat utilization is practiced by us-v A boiler and steam actuated compressor, the pressure steam to actuate the oil vapor compressor; the exhaust steam from the compresser to be utilized to heat the Water used l in the amalgamator box.- The boiler stack gases are used to heat the amalgam baking apparatus. The heat generatedby oil vapor compression is to be utilized to vaporize the original charging stock oil; the heat in the vaporized oil fractions leaving the baking apparatus is utilized in bringing the same while in vapor form to cracking pressure and temperature, and the sensible heat ofthe oil` residuum is utilized in making amalgam.

An alternative operation, without departing from the medium embodying eiiicient heat utilization, is to usev 'an internal combustion engine as the prime mover, instead of a boiler and steam drivenA vapor compressor, to operate the oil vapor compressor. The

waste jacket heat of the engine, which is about 50% of the total original heat of the fuel oil, will be utilized to heat both the amalgamating Water and the .original chargt mi and detached ash. They are deposited on '39 elongated baking oven 8, w ich is heated by vin. To this ama gamator which was first generated in a boiler.

plant 3 having: the boiler tubes 4 and a boiler 5 therein, as then expanded -in oil vapor compressor. The boiler is fired in any well known manner, the steam being 'introduced to the amalgamator in a Way to be hereinafter described. i

The material undergoing amalgamation in the amalgamator is such as described in my patents aforesaid,V and when discharged from thev amalgamator consists of a plastic mixture of coal and oil of 'al consistency resembling putty, usually in the :Storm of sphericalv bodies of desired diameters. These bodies, or masses, are largely free of Water the screen 6 so to be separated from IWater and ash, and this.v screen carries them to a hopper 7, there to be formed or moulded into desired shapes and conve ed throughan stack gases from the steam boiler. The purpose or baking or carbonizingfthe formed fuel masses is to make them hard and strong so they maybe transported and handled, to make them smokeless under combustion, or substantially so, and to remove 'he oils vaporized at t e temperatures employed so that they may be treated to convert them into light boiling motor fuel fractions'.

Adverting non'r to the steam boiler, it will be seen that the steam from this boiler dis! charges'through'a line 10 to a compressor cylinder 11, being exhausted from this cylinder throu h a line ,12 into the amalgamator 1. i ot boiler gases from the boiler also discharge through the line 13 into the baking oven 8 to supply the necessary heat to this oven to bake or carbonize the material passing therethrough. -Suitable valves are provided for controlling the passage of thel heating gases through these lines.

It will be observed that the steam from the boiler 5`ir`st passes to the steam 'compres` -sor cylinder 11. This steam is there utilized 'to operate a compressor 14 employed Afor from the power compressor h linder 11 then passes to the amalgamator. lLnjheproeess described crude oil, or other charging stock,-

is fed from a.V tank 15 passing therefrom through a line 16 from whereyfa portion of the oil can pass through a line 17 to the jacket 18 of the vapor compressing cylinder tov control the temperature-of compression in said cylinder` Within an optimum cracking range while the major part of the oil supply passes through the line 19 to a space V20 in the elongated heat exchanger 21. That art of the oil passing through the jacket o the vapor compressing cylinder becomes somewhat preheated therein and is led therefrom through the line 22 to the line 19 vand then to the space 20. In the space 20 of the heat exchanger there are a plurality of tubes 23 receiving the compressed vapors, by means of Which the-heat of the cracked vapors is indirectly imparted to the charging stock in a manner now to be described.

A substantial part of the liquid charging stock entering the space 2() is vaporized, the vapors passing fromY this space through the line 25 to the compressor 14 Where said vapors are'subjected to an exceedingly high-stage of compression, this compression raising the temperature of the vapors toa cracking condition of temperature and pressure so that they undergo substantial conversion in said compressor. When a cracking temperature has been reached the vapors may be compressed still further while maintaining the temperature substantially constant by circulation of the charging stock through the compressor jacket 18 as above indicated. thus carrying on the cracking under conditions of isothermic compression. The cracked vapors from the compressor While at a cracking temperature, discharge throughthe line 427 into the tubes 23 passing through the interior of the heat exchanger. These hot vapors serve to vaporize substantial portions of the incoming charging stock to provide the vapors 'that are to enter the compressor 14.

vThe cracked vapors by being robbed of their heat largely condense in the tubes 23 andthe condensate `flows out through the line 28 into the receiver 29 employed for collecting the converted-products. The space 20 of the heat interchanger is preferably maintained under a vacuum so as to lower the vaporizing point of the incoming charging stock. The unvaporized oil from this chamber consisting of large quantities of heavy oils, tar, pitch, carbon, etc., is continuously withdrawn through the line 30 and co1- lectedin a receiver 31 from where it is conveyed bythe line 32 directly to the amalgamator 1. It will also b'e understood that the amalgamated product passing through the baking oven 8 is subjected to a* temperature of say 550 F., to 1000 F., and that the volatiles containedin both the coal and the oil -constituting this amalgamated product are vaporized either in part o r to any degree delsred depending on temperature, time of treatment and-type of solid roduct wanted, these vapors passing throug the line 33 to no h .the line 25 for passage on to the compressor 14 to undergo cracking by reason of the high I:temperature and pressure they attain dueto tor, and there mixed with a liquid hydro-` carbon residue containing substantial quantities of carbon base. The quantity of hydrocarbon material used is approximately in the proportion of'one part hydrocarbon material to five parts coal by weight. The amalgamated material is deposited on the screen 6 and after being formed into massesof uniform size, is then introduced to the baking oven 8 which is heated by furnace gases passing through the line 13. This oven is main tamed at a temperature of, say 650 to 700 F., causing a vaporization of the lighter volatiles contained in the oil and the coal, leaving the heavier substances therein which retain a substantially solid state in. the bonized masses discharged from the ov the receiver adjacent the outlet thereof. vapors generated in the oven pass on to the vapor line 25 for passage to the converting compressor 14 together with other vapors produced from crude oil and in a manner now to be described. `During this operation crude oil from the tank 15 is passing through the space 20 of the heat interchanger and this oil is heated therein to a temperature of say 500 F. to 600F. When a plant isbeing placed in operation, the oil may be heated by steam from the boiler passing through the tubes 23. After the lant is in operation the oil is then heated Ay heat absorbed from cracked vapors.y A substantial art of this oil, however, is vaporized and t ese vapors v of4 a temperature of sav 500 F to 000l F.

pass throu h the line 25 into the compressor 14 where tey are subjected to a high degree of 'compression of say 100 pounds per square" inch,l which raises the temperature of the va'- porsto approximately from 700 to 850 F.,

this temperature being-controlled b the pasy sage of oil .through the vjacket 18 o the com-` pressor. -The compressor is operated by the compressor cylinder 11 receiving steam from the line 10 which r'communicates with the boiler 5. After the vapors are heated to a cracking temperature in the com ressor 14 they then pass through the line 2 into .the tubes- 23 of the heat exchanger 21. Here the vapors heat the chargin stock and are themselves largely condense constituting a pressure distillate consisting largely of converted low boiling point oils. Suchoils flow through the line 28,1nto the receiver 29, from which any uncondensed vapors and lixed gases are permitted to escape through the gas outlet ,hereinbefore described.

ppe 34. The'unvap'orized oil in the cham-V 30 by a pump,or the like, depositing into the tank 31 from where it is continuously introduced to the amalgamator 1 for the purposes The pressure distillate may then be fractionated'in any suitable manner to extract the motor fuel fraction, and if desired, other commercially usable fractions. The remaining fractions are then added to the residuum from the heat exchanger or to the original the residuum from the vaporisation of the charging stock, or led through lthe line 39 to the tank 15 and mixed with fresh charging stock therein for recycling, revaporizing and recracking. v

From the foregoing descriptionof the process, it will be seen that I produce solid, clean, smokeless fuels and liquid motorfuels, that the manufacture ofthe solid fuel contributes tothe yield of liquid fuel, that the production of'motor fuel contributes a liquid residuum necessary to the successful manufacture of the solid fuel, that waste or byproduct heat incidental to the production of each product is successfully utilized in the production of the other.

I claim is:

- 1. A fuels o Y a solid nature and converting hydrocarbon oils, comprising developing heat` energy by combustion of a, fuel at a single source,

Having thus described Vmy invention, what rocess for manufacturing carbonzed in utilizing said heat for4 subjecting h dro-' carbon va ors to aheat compression su cient to crack v for heating the solid fue, to remove volatiles therefrom and produce' a'carbonized residue.

e same, in em loying waste.,

lll

v2. A process for manufacturing solid car bonaceous fuels and converting hydrocarbon oils by heat energy developed at a sin le source, comprising utilizing a part` of t e energy for compressing oil vapors to subject said vapors to cracking temperatures and pressures, in mixin pnlverizedfcoal vwl e 1n water suspension, and in utilizing a'portion of the' ener heating said water during the agitation of the materiels.

Y 3. 'A processfor'manufacturing solid car. bonaceous fuelsand converting hydrocarbon oils by heat energy 'developed at asin le source, comprsingyutilizinga part of t e hydrocarbon oil ,withj for energy for compressing oil vapors to subject said. vapors to cracking temperatures and pressures, in mixing hydrocarbon oil with pulverized coal while in Water suspension, 1n utilizing a portion of the energy for heating said Water during the agitation of the materials, and in also utilizing waste heat of combustion from said single source for removing oils from the agglomerated material producing a carbomzed mass.

4. A yprocess for manufacturing solid ca rbonaceous fuels and converting hydrocarbon oils Vby heat yenergy developed at a single source, comprising utilizing a part of the y energy for compressing oil vapors to subject said vapors to cracking temperatures and pressures, in mixing hydrocarbon oil with pulverized coal while in watersuspension, in utilizing a portion of the energy for heating said water during the agitation of the materials, in also utilizing waste heat of combustion from sa'id single source for removing oils from the agglomerated material producing a carbonized mass, and in subjecting said removed oils in the form of vapor to said cracking conditions of temperature and pressure. s

5. A system of treating hydrocarbon ,materials, comprising generating heat at a single source by the combustion of fuel, in i utilizing a portionof the heat to convert hydrocarbon oils by subjecting oil vapors to cracking conditions of temperature and presvsure in a compressor utilizing said energy, in passing said vapors through a preheater to vaporize charging stock Lbeing admitted to the compressor, in wlthdrawing unvaporized oil from said preheater, in lntroduclng said oil to an amalgamator, 1n mlxing said o1l 1n the .amalgamator with coal in water sus nsion,`

in utilizing a part of 4said heat pro uced at a single source forheating-the water in saidl amalgamator, in discharging the agglomerates'fromr said amalgamator, in distilling said agglomerates by heated ases generated at said single source, and 1n introducing the vapors and gases obtained from ksaid agglomerates to said compressor for conversion.

6. A process for amalgamating coals and crackin hydrocarbon oils, comprisingmixing hy rocarbon residue With finely pulverized coal and Water,l in introducing charging stock to a heat interchanger where a. portion .thereof is vaporized, in subjecting said va.-

pors to a high compression by a heat energyoperated compressor engine, in passing the compressed vapors through the heat interchanger tovaporize portions of the charging. stock, in collecting the low boiling pointy oils thus produced, in withdrawing residual oil from said heat interchanger and utilizing the same for agglomeration with the coal, and inmaintaining the Water dur-ing such agglom- `eration in a heated condition by waste heat from said compressor engine.

`7. process for amalgamating coals and cracking hydrocarbon oils, comprising'mixing hydrocarbon residue with Afinely pulver-` same for agglomeration with the coa in maintaining the water during such agglomeration in a heated condition by waste heat from said compressor engine, in passing the agglomerates to' an oven, in vaporizing oil fractions from. said agglomerates in said oven, and in passing said fractions to said compressor for conversion therein.

8. A method lfor the production of motor fuel and baked solid fuel which comprises partially distilling heavy hydrocarbon oil in a manner to form an overhead product and a hquid residue, crackmg sald overhead roduct 1n a manner to produce motor fue and .fractions 'heavier than motor fuel, separating `the motor fuel from, the heavier fractions, adding said hea-vier fractions to said liquid residue, mixing 'solid carbonizable material with the mixture resulting from the addition of said heavier fractions to said-liquid residue thereby forming a solid-liquid' mixture, baking 'said solid-liquid mixture and removing volatile fractions therefrom, and combining said volatile fractions with said overhead product to b cracked therewith.

"9. A method for the vproduction ofmotor fuel and baked solid fuel which comprises partially distilling heavy hydrocarbon oil in a manner to form an overhead product and a ,liquid residue, cracking said overhead product in a manner to produce motor fuel and fractions heavier than motor fuel, separating the motor fuel from the heavier fractions, adding said heavier fractions to said liquid residue, amalgamating finely divided solid carbonizable material in the presence of water with' the mixture resulting from the addition of said heavier fractions to said liquid residue, separating the resultant amalgam from the Water, baking said amalam and removing volatile fractions therefrom, and combining said volatile fractions with said overhead product to be cracked therewith. 10. A method for the production of motor fuel and baked solid fuel which comprises partially distilling heavy hydrocarbon oil thereby forming vaporized fractions and a liquid residue, cracking said fractions in the vapor phase to produce motor fuel and fractions heavier than motor fuel, separating the motor fuel from the heavier fractions, adding said heavier fractions to said liquid residue, mixing solid carbonizable material-,With the mixture resulting from the addition of said heavier fractions to said residue thereby forming a solid-liquid mixture, baking said Vsolid-liquid mixture thereby forming baked the mixture resulting from the addition-of said heavier fractions to said liquid residue, separating the resultant amalgam from the Water, baking said amalgam thereby formingA baked solid fuel and vapors, and combining said vapors with said vaporized fractions to be vapor phase cracked therewith.

12. -A method for producing motor fuel and baked solid Afuel which comprises cracking hydrocarbon oil heavier than gasoline in a manner to form motor fuel hydrocarbons and hydrocarbons heavier than motor fuel, separating the motor fuel hydrocarbons from the heavier hydrocarbons, mixing solid carbonizable material with said heavier hydrocarbons and baking the resultant mixture, removing vaporized hydrocarbon fractions from the baking operation, and combining said fractions with additional hydrocarbon oil and cracking the mixture thereby formed. 13. A method for producing motor fuel and baked solid fuel which comprises cracking hydrocarbon oil heavier than gasoline in a manner to form motor fuel hydrocarbons and hydrocarbons heavier than motor fuel, separating the motor fuel hydrocarbons from the heavier hydrocarbons, amalgamating finely divided solid carbonizable material with said heavier hydrocarbons in the presence of Water, and separating the resultant amalgam from the Water, baking' said amalgam and removing vaporized hydrocarbon fractions from the baking operation, and combining said fractions with additional hydrocarbon oil and cracking the mixture thereby formed.

14. A method for producing motor fuel and baked solid fuel which comprises partially distilling heavy hydrocarbon oil to form an overhead product and a liquid resi. due, mixing solid carbonizable material with said liquid residue and baking the resultant mixture, removing vaporized hydrocarbon fractions fronr the baking operation, com bining said fractions with said overhead product, and cracking the lmixture of said ractions and overhead product in a manner to produce motor fuel hydrocarbons therefrom.

15. A method for the production of motor fuel and baked solid fuel Which comprises partially distilling heayy hydrocarbon oil thereby forming vapors and li uid residue, mixing solid carbonizable material With said liquid residue and baking the 'resultant mixture, removing hydrocarbon vapors from the baking operation and combining the same with thefirst mentioned vapors, and cracking the resultant vapor mixture in the va or phase in a manner to produce motor uel hydrocarbons therefrom. Y

16'. A method for producing motor fuel and baked solid fuel which comprises partially distilling heavy` hydrocarbon oil tol form an overhead product and a liquid residue, amalgamating finely divided solid carbonizable material with said liquid residue in the presence of Water and separating the resultant amalgam from the Water, baking said amalgam, and removing vaporized hydrocarbon fractions from the baking operation,

. combining said fractions with said overhead product, and cracking the mixture of said fractions and overhead product in a manner go produce motor fuel hydrocarbons thererom. 4

fuel and bakedsolid fuel Whichcomprises partially distilling heavy. hydrocarbon oil l thereby forming vapors and liquid residue, amalgamating finely divided solid carbonizable material vvitlsaid residue in the presence of water and separating the resultant amalgam from the Water, baking said amalgam, removing hydrocarbon vapors from the baking operation and combining the same with the first mentioned vapors, and cracking the resultant vapor mixture in the vapor produce motor fuel hyphase in a manner to drocarbons therefro 18. A method for producing motor fuel andbaked solid fuel which comprises mixing solid mixing said heavier fractions with additionalA quantities of solid carbonizable material and baking the fresultant mixture. v l19. A method for producing motor fuel and baked solid fuel which comprises amalgamating finely divided solid carbonizable material with hydrocarbon oilheavier than gasoline in the presence of water, separating the resultant amalgam from the Water,baking said` amalgam and removing vaporized hydrocarbons from the baking operation, 'cracking said hydrocarbons in a manner to produce motor fuel hydrocarbons and fractionsheavier than motor fuel, separating the motor fuel hydrocarbons from the heavier fractions, and utilizing said heavier fractions in the amalgamation of additional quantities of solid carbonizable material to be processed as aforesaid. Y 20. A method for the productionv of motor fuel and baked solid fuel which comprises lo partially distillng heavy hydrocarbon oil in a manner to form an overhead product and a liquid residue, cracking said ,overhead product in a manner to produce motor. fuel and fractions heavier than motor fuel, separating the motor fuel from the heavier'fractions, adding said heavier fractionsto'said liquid rresidue, mixing solid carbonizable material with the mixture resulting from the addition zo of said heavier fractions to said liquid residue thereby forming a solid-liquid mixture, and baking said solid-liquid mixture.- In testimonywhereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WALTER'EDWIN TRENT. 

